


Coalesce

by crystalblinks (orphan_account)



Series: Sagacity (Advice) [3]
Category: DC's Legends of Tomorrow (TV), The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: A+ Parenting, Alternate Universe - Mob, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Angst, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-13
Updated: 2016-06-13
Packaged: 2018-07-14 21:10:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7190573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/crystalblinks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Henry Allen and Osgood Rathaway want to merge their families to maximize profit, at the expense of their sons happiness.</p><p>(Prequel to Advice)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Coalesce

I have never understood the division between us and them. The vapid need to declare one thing better than the other, to declare one person better than the other. It’s an unnecessary division of people that has caused more wars than one can count. I lose a portion of my living off of us versus them. The Allen family versus the Rathaway family. If there was unity within the ranks it would maximize profit. My father had this idea back when I was young and still naive. It was before Len, after Oliver, but it was a time of youth and sexual clarity, a time when every emotion was magnified and the world was coated in a haze of adolescence, it was arguably the time of my life. 

My father had set up a dinner between the two families. The Rathaways were smaller than us, but they made more money by catering to high paying clients. It was smart really for them to want to merge. It was a smart business move and I wasn’t sure if I hated or respected my father for it. Osgood Rathaway was worse than my father in many ways. He had an unmatched cruelty that I’d never seen in another human being, a greed and a hunger for money and power. Osgood Rathaway became good friends with my father. Instead of accepting his son’s sexuality he pawned him off to every willing buyer like cattle, and now upon my father’s request he was peddling him off to me. 

It started off as dinner, with Hartley looking at me with wanting and fearful eyes. As if he found me attractive, but feared what I would do to him after dessert. Osgood had offered Hartley to me, to unify the two families as soon as Hartley turned eighteen. It was a disgusting scheme which took no account of our own wants desires or free will. I felt as if we were seventeenth century europeans, with less slavery and more narcotics. 

“Why don’t you two make your way upstairs? We have some business to discuss down here.” My father said with a bright smile, as if his son was finally making him proud. Osgood winked at me and looked at me like he was offering me a steak on a platter, and to him, he was. 

Harley rose from his chair, his footing too unstable. As he lead me to his bedroom, I noticed that he had a slight limp as he walked, most likely the result of rough lovers, if I could even call them lovers. “What do you want to do?” He asked, when we made it into the room, his voice as shaky as his footing.

“To talk.” Hartley looked at me as if I’d asked him to do russian gymnastics, which I know from experience is as painful as it is erotic. “It’s a simple request. I just want to have a simple conversation with you.”

He snorted.

“Here, I’ll start. What’s your favorite color. I like red.”

There was a pregnant silence filling the room. Hartley fidgeted slightly where he sat on the bed. “My favorite color is purple. What kind of question is that? Are you eight?” His body language was looser now, as he stopped worrying about his safety and more so about my stupid questions.

“Eighteen actually, but there’s no harm in knowing your favorite color, especially if we’re going to be married.” He cringed. 

“Don’t be mad but I really don’t want to marry you.”

“Why? Am I not everything you’ve ever wanted?”

“I mean I bet you’re great...” He trails off and looks me in the eye, pleading and just a little cocky. “I’ve got a boyfriend, Axel, he works in the house downstairs.”

“Is he your soulmate?” I was mocking him. I don’t believe in soulmates or destiny, love or fate, but he seemed so vulnerable that I decided to refrain from making my ridicule evident. 

“Yes.” 

“So this union is definitely not mutually beneficial?” Hartley nods. “Punch me.”

“What?”

“Punch me in the face. Grab Axel and run.” He looks at me as if I lost my mind before glancing at the window that lead him out of the Rathaway estate. 

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, I can’t have a husband tying me down Hartley, one day I’m going to have an empire to run.” I slowly started unbuttoning my shirt and slacks. 

“What are you doing?”

“Making it look realistic. Can you mess up the sheets on your bed, oh, and take of your shirt.” Hartley did as he was told, and in hindsight he was probably used to taking directions, even from someone only six months his senior. When we’d finished with the room Hartley stood in front of me. He seemed to be made up of fear and excitement, adrenaline and thanks. “Once you hit me, I’ll give you five minutes to go grab Axel. Avoid the main hallways and our parents okay?” 

I stepped back slightly, giving the unspoken go ahead. I never expected Hartley to hit me as hard as he did, but it got the job done. He fled quickly, sending me thanks on his way out the door. I waited the allotted five minutes before stumbling downstairs holding my nose and groaning as if Hartley had done much more damage.

“Father!” I called out to him as soon as I was within their eye line. They were laughing and drinking while Rachel, Osgood’s wife was pouring her husband another glass of scotch. 

“What the fuck happened?” My father seemed outraged.

“He hit me!” In hindsight, I realize how whiny I sounded, and it wasn’t all due to my lack of vocal development, but the fact that I wasn’t as well versed in putting on a show for personal gain as I am now, but it did the job. 

Osgood dashed upstairs probably to yell at and beat his son. “Come on dear, let me clean up your face.” Rachel said. She lead me to her kitchen, furnished in golds and reds. She grabbed a towel and wiped the blood off my face from where Hartley had hit me.

“Did he get out safe?”

“Yeah, I gave him five minutes and Axel’s the plane tickets and the money.”

Rachel nodded and handed me a envelope with the agreed upon amount inside. “Thank you for helping my son Barry.”

“Anytime Mrs. Rathaway. It was a pleasure doing business with you.”

 


End file.
